Utilizing Technology in Consulting

In 2021, I became the first woman to head a unicorn in Israel, AKA Startup Nation. In many parts of the world, women are excluded from even the most basic financial services, so leading a fintech company is far from their reality. United Nations data estimates that 3.8 billion women live in the world, 50% of which are adults. According to the World Bank’s Global Findex Database, 1.4 billion of those 1.9 billion adult women, are unbanked. That’s 73.65%. Visit that statistic again. It represents a disturbing gender gap in financial access, with women being far less likely than men to have bank accounts or access formal financial services. This financial exclusion has personal impact. It diminishes women’s economic empowerment by restricting access to education and limiting their potential for personal growth and independence. It makes women more financially dependent, and therefore, more vulnerable. There's economic impact, too. Research by McKinsey highlights the economic loss due to financial exclusion of women, noting that closing the gender gap in labor force participation could add trillions to global GDP. Financial inclusion isn’t just a matter of equality – ensuring the same opportunities for all. It’s a matter of equity - ensuring women have the tools and access they need to fully participate in the global economy. That’s where technology enters the picture to level the field. The rise of mobile banking is a great example of innovation enhancing financial inclusion. According to a report by the International Finance Corporation, mobile money accounts are more popular among women in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, where access to traditional banking is limited. Various fintechs provide financial literacy resources, helping women understand financial products, budgeting, and saving strategies. Other solutions include AI-driven platforms that offer personalized recommendations and advice, empowering women to make informed financial decisions. Aside from personal apps and solutions, fintechs can facilitate community-based lending and saving initiatives, allowing women to support each other through group savings or microfinance schemes, fostering a sense of solidarity and shared purpose. This International Women’s Day’s theme is "accelerate action". In my mind, nothing accelerates action like innovation. As we mark International Women's Day, let’s advocate and innovate to enhance financial inclusion for women worldwide. #IWD2025 #financialInclusion Papaya Global

A recent scoping review shows that the use of various types of digital health technologies (DHTs) can improve women’s access to healthcare and lead to better health outcomes. DHTs also improve women's empowerment and gender equality by facilitating skills acquisition, health education, and social interaction. However, barriers remain, such as financial challenges, privacy concerns, limited digital infrastructure, and geographical constraints. To maximize the benefits of DHTs, the authors recommend several actions for stakeholders: expanding digital infrastructure, collecting more data on women’s access and the digital gender divide, implementing affordability measures, launching education initiatives, enacting supportive legislation, and developing community-based interventions. Article: https://lnkd.in/dDBZfZ65 #digitalhealth #womenshealth #femtech Israel Júnior Borges do Nascimento, David Novillo Ortiz, PhD, Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, Isabel Yordi Aguirre, Ishanka Weerasekara, Rosemary Morgan, PhD, Robin van Kessel et al.

Is Traditional Risk Management Holding Insurance Back? The #propertyandcasualtyinsurance sector is under more pressure than ever: ⚠ Risk management must scale—boots-on-the-ground approaches can’t keep up. ⚠ Claims costs are climbing—climate events, social inflation & litigation are driving higher payouts. ⚠ ESG & compliance demands mean insurers must prove they’re proactively mitigating risk. ⚠ Insurtech disruption is changing the game—data-driven models are reshaping underwriting & customer expectations. 💡 The old "𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲" approach won’t cut it anymore. If you’re still relying on 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 & 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀, you’re falling behind. The real solution? 𝗔 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲. To achieve 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 results, insurers must implement the 𝟱 𝗖’𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗠𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: ✔ Communicate – Use 𝗔𝗜-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 to educate clients on why risk control benefits them & how to act. ✔ Create – Develop 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 that reduce claims volumes—inch-wide, mile-deep. ✔ Capture – Secure 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲, 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 to prove proactive risk mitigation. ✔ Clarify – Leverage 𝗔𝗜-𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 for smarter underwriting & pricing decisions. ✔ Care – Shift from a transactional mindset to collaborative, 𝗘𝗦𝗚-𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀. 🚀 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁? Let’s discuss. --------- ✍️ Thoughts? Share yours below ♻️ Repost this and help your network 🔔 Follow Christian Harris and ring the bell on my profile 📰 Subscribe to the Safety And Risk Success newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eigmYnMq #Riskmanagement #insurance #workplacesafety

Staying updated as an SAP Consultant in the era of AI involves several proactive steps to ensure you remain relevant and competitive: 1. Continuous Learning : AI is rapidly evolving, and so is SAP's integration of AI technologies. Commit to ongoing learning through SAP's official training programs, online courses (like SAP Learning Hub), or through recognized educational platforms offering AI and machine learning courses. 2. Stay Abreast of SAP's AI Initiatives : Follow SAP's updates on their AI capabilities and solutions. Stay informed about how AI is being integrated into SAP products like SAP S/4HANA, SAP Leonardo, and SAP Analytics Cloud. 3. Networking and Community Engagement : Join SAP user groups, forums, and communities where AI topics are discussed. Participate in conferences, webinars, and seminars focused on AI and SAP to network with peers and stay updated on industry trends. 4. Explore Industry Use Cases : Understand how AI is being applied in different industries using SAP solutions. This knowledge can help you anticipate client needs and position yourself as an informed consultant. 5. Develop AI Skills : While not mandatory to be a data scientist, having a basic understanding of AI concepts, such as machine learning algorithms and natural language processing, can enhance your ability to work with AI-powered SAP solutions. 6. Collaborate Across Disciplines : AI often requires interdisciplinary collaboration. Engage with data scientists, AI specialists, and business analysts to understand diverse perspectives and foster cross-functional teamwork. 7. Monitor Technological Advancements : Keep an eye on advancements in AI technologies outside of SAP. Understanding broader trends can help you anticipate future developments within SAP's ecosystem. 8. Adapt to New Roles : As AI influences SAP's offerings, new roles and responsibilities may emerge. Be flexible and prepared to adapt your skills and expertise to these evolving demands. By taking these steps, you can position yourself as a knowledgeable and adaptable SAP Consultant in the era of AI, equipped to deliver value-added solutions to your clients.

🚨⚡ A COO stares at his spreadsheet: BPO partner = $525K/month Agentic AI pilot = $120K/month 👉 60% faster. More accurate. That’s not just a cost play. It’s an industry reset. I'm thrilled to share my latest piece in Digital Insurance on how #AgenticAI is forcing P&C insurers to fundamentally rethink their BPO partnerships. Key insights from the article: ➡️ Routine, high-volume work (FNOL, endorsements, underwriting) is shifting to AI, while negotiations and compliance stay human-centered. ➡️ Insurance executives no longer ask "How many FTEs and cost per FTE?" but "What's your AI strategy?"...and most BPO partners lack compelling answers ➡️ Traditional BPOs face a painful choice: embrace AI and cannibalize revenue, or risk obsolescence as AI-native competitors emerge ➡️ Some forward-looking players are investing directly in AI-native firms, signaling they’re reinventing, not clinging to labor arbitrage. The bottom line: We're witnessing the great unbundling of BPO services. Winners will combine human judgment with AI capabilities, focusing on exception handling, quality assurance, and strategic oversight, the areas where human expertise remains irreplaceable. 🙏 Deep gratitude to the carriers and MGAs who agreed to be interviewed for this piece, to the incredible Patti Harman for inviting me to contribute on such an important topic, and to my dear friends and colleagues James Rosen and Christopher Frankland 🌎 for your valuable feedback on my first draft. ✅ Read the full analysis in the link in the comments section. What are your thoughts on how agentic AI will reshape BPO partnerships in P&C? Are you already seeing this transformation in your organization? I'd love to hear your perspectives in the comments. #PropertyCasualtyInsurance #BPO #AgenticAI #InsurTech

SAP consulting isn’t dying. But it is being rewritten. And AI isn’t replacing consultants — It’s replacing how they work. Here’s what I’m seeing 👇 1. Configuring transactions? ↳ AI will soon do it faster than we can. ↳ What remains valuable is the why, not the how. 2. Copy-pasting specs into SPRO (SAP configuration) ? ↳ That era is ending. ↳ The future is in challenging specs, not just implementing them. 3. “Being good at SAP” won’t be enough. ↳ You’ll need to be good at logistics, supply chain, finance, production. ↳ Processes first. Screens second. 4. Juniors trained on navigation only? ↳ They’ll struggle. ↳ The ones who understand business flows will thrive. 5. The “hybrid” consultant won’t be a coder. ↳ They’ll be a process analyst. ↳ Someone who says, “This setup is inappropriate — here’s why.” Configuration will be assisted. Automated. But real-world decisions? Business trade-offs? Best practices? Those stay human. SAP consulting isn’t disappearing. -> It’s evolving. P.S. : The train’s already moving. Jump on — or risk getting left behind. #SAP #SAPConsulting #SAPExperts #SAPAI #FutureOfSAP #S4HANA #DigitalSAP #ProcessDesign #BusinessProcess #BestPractices #AIinSAP #SAPSkills #FunctionalConsulting #SAPCareer #ERPTransformation #SAPCommunity #HybridConsultant #TechAdoption #ChangeManagement #NextGenConsultant #SAPProcesses #SAPMindset #DigitalConsulting #BusinessTransformation #SAPProjects #SAPPeople

*Unlocking the Future for Women Through Digital Financing* In an era where digital innovation is reshaping the world's economic landscape, the topic of digital financing often unfolds into a vigorous discussion on inclusivity. We find ourselves amidst a tide of technological advancements that are fundamentally altering the way we transact, save, and invest. Despite the promise of democratization, questions linger: How accessible is this digital wave to women, particularly in developing countries? And are we truly leveraging technology to uplift and empower underserved female communities, or is the digital divide only growing wider? For generations, women have faced systemic barriers that have rendered them financially excluded. Digital finance once embodied hope for bridging the gap, but in many instances, it has fallen short, reflecting and perhaps even perpetuating societal inequalities. The current statistics illuminate an alarming facet of the digital divide that isolates women from the tools and resources necessary for financial independence. Digital finance, through mobile banking, online platforms has the potential to revolutionize the financial landscape. Its virtues are well-documented – lower barriers to entry, reduced transaction costs, and increased efficiency. However, the true strength of digital finance lies in its promise to be a conduit for empowerment. By providing women with financial inclusion, they gain the means to invest in education, health, and business, ultimately elevating their socio-economic status. To truly realize the potential of digital finance in empowering women, a multi-pronged approach is imperative. First, there is an urgent need to enhance digital literacy among women, particularly in developing regions. Educational programs focusing on technology and finance, tailored to local communities, can make significant strides in reducing the literacy gap and fostering confidence in technology use. Secondly, addressing cultural norms that restrict women's access to technology is crucial. Societies must move towards more inclusive mindsets where women are encouraged and supported in adopting digital financial practices. Lastly, the regulatory environment should be conducive to female participation in digital finance. Policies should be crafted with women's unique needs in mind, simplifying processes and ensuring that legal and institutional frameworks do not pose additional barriers. Women Resource Center and Incubators is currently pointing it all in the right direction. By incorporating with Women Resource Center and Incubators training program, JazzCash has brought forward a Digital Banking - Literacy program in order to create awareness in society. Ahmer Shakoor Muhammad Ahmad

If you’re an SAP consultant & you’re not sweating bullets after Sapphire 2024, you missed the memo. AI is coming for you. But Jonathan, you’re kidding, right? RIGHT? I wish I was: ‘Joule for Consultants’ will accelerate projects by +30% by automating many routine tasks. Whose routine tasks? Yours. Low-code/no-code development on BTP promises to make it easier for businesses to customize SAP themselves. Whose customization work? Yours. SAP’s “clean core” ERP strategy keeps S/4HANA free from excessive custom code, meaning fewer complex customizations. Whose complex customizations? Yours. But my friend, you are not going to freak out. You are going to pull yourself up by your bootstraps & prepare for the future. Here’s how you are going to turn these challenges into opportunities: 1. Embrace AI to Enhance Your Skills Joule is a game-changer, yes. But, instead of fearing it, leverage it. -Understand how Joule works & integrate it into your workflow to enhance productivity. -With Joule handling routine tasks, focus on higher-value activities like strategic planning.  -Take courses in AI & ML so you can stay ahead & offer new AI-driven services to your clients. 2. Master Low-Code/No-Code Platforms LCND development on BTP is revolutionizing customization. So you need to get ahead by mastering it. -Obtain certifications in SAP’s low-code/no-code platforms to help clients build & customize applications efficiently.  -Position yourself as an expert who can train client teams to use these platforms effectively.  -Create & market pre-built solutions that clients can easily customize, adding value to your consulting services. 3. Adapt to the Clean Core ERP Strategy With over 6k customers adopting RISE with SAP, the clean core ERP strategy is here to stay. Adapt & thrive. -Shift your focus from heavy customization to mastering configuration within the clean core framework.  -Advise clients on best practices for maintaining a clean core ERP system, ensuring they get the most out of their S/4HANA investment.  -Keep abreast of the latest updates & features in S/4HANA to provide the most current & relevant advice. 4. Evolve with the Industry The traditional SAP consulting model is evolving. So should you. -Commit to lifelong learning & stay updated with the latest SAP technologies & industry trends.  -Expand your expertise to include emerging technologies like blockchain, IoT, & advanced analytics. -Join SAP communities, attend conferences, & collaborate with other professionals to stay connected & informed. Sapphire 2024 was a wake-up call. The old way of doing SAP consulting is being profoundly reshaped. If you’re not adapting, you’re falling behind. The future is… LITERALLY  RIGHT  NOW It is time to pivot & find your new niche before it’s too late. If you don’t embrace these changes & you don’t take proactive steps, you may find yourself wishing that you had.

Digital tools and services like AI, social media, and online banking have revolutionised business for women entrepreneurs everywhere. They enable women to streamline operations, connect with customers, manage transactions and financial records with the touch of a button, and improve their business outcomes. I’ve seen this happen for many of the women entrepreneurs we work with at the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. In fact, our latest research with Intuit and The World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law project found that 63% of the women we surveyed linked the adoption of digital tools with improved business functions.   As the business landscape becomes increasingly digital, it’s crucial that women have the skills and confidence to leverage technology for business success. This is a core element of the Foundation’s programme design. In this fantastic new video, Madonna Seroto and Taryn Gill share how our Road to Growth training programme supported them in embracing digital tools and taking their businesses to new heights.   Read more of our insights on women entrepreneurs’ use of digital tools and how organisations across sectors can support their digital inclusion: https://lnkd.in/eMG3zrqh

#DigitalFinancialServices (DFS) can accelerate greater financial inclusion for women but continue to remain out of reach for many across the globe. Part of the problem is the lack of tailored services and outreach. A new report by IFC - International Finance Corporation, in collaboration with Dalberg, found that only 32% #fintech firms customise their financial service products for their women customers. What are fintech firms doing to make their services more accessible — and what should they be doing more of? This research, “Her Fintech Edge”, attempts to address these questions by drawing insights from 17 countries. It identifies industry best practices and key intervention areas to strengthen women’s access to DFS in emerging markets. Congratulations to the team that worked to push this exciting initiative to the finish line: Anushe Khan Beniamino Savonitto Elena Renjel Fredrica Mayer Hans Koning Heather Kipnis Jaylan ElShazly Jessica Schnabel Jorge Godoy Kashvi Trivedi Leora Klapper Linda Smiroldo Herda MINAKSHI RAMJI Naoko Koyama-Blanc Pamela Lian Shinya Yoshino Vineet Bhandari Saksham Khosla  Read the report here: IFC.org/HerFintechEdge